


Actual Wolves in California

by fireflystiles (cuddlehazz)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Scott McCall, BAMF Stiles, Derek Comes Back, Derek Hale Loves Stiles Stilinski, Derek Hale Takes Care of Stiles Stilinski, Derek Has Feelings, Emissary in Training Stiles Stilinski, Fluff and Angst, Hurt Stiles, M/M, Magic Revealed, Magical Stiles Stilinski, Pack Dynamics, Post-Nogitsune Stiles Stilinski, Post-Season 5b, Protective Derek, Scott is a Bad Friend, Scott is a Good Friend, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Stiles Stilinski Loves Derek Hale, Stiles is Clumsy, Swearing, Werewolf Pain-Relief Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-08-28 21:22:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 17,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8463385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuddlehazz/pseuds/fireflystiles
Summary: Stiles sees a wolf in the woods and takes off running before his brain catches up with the situation.





	1. There are no wolves in California

Stiles is once again running through the wood. At least he has become pretty damn good at it by now. This time he is running from an actual wolf. Not a werewolf, an actual wolf. He was out in the woods placing jars that Deaton made through the Preserve to help do some voodoo Druid shit. Stiles wasn’t sure exactly because Deaton wasn’t particularly forthcoming with information. Surprise. And Stiles saw a wolf. Like an actual fucking wolf.

Stiles ran.

The problem was now that Stiles was running he started to think of something other than pure fear.

There are no wolves in California.

Well, no actual wolves. Tons of Werewolves, and other were-woodland creatures but no actual wolves.

The thought hit him right as he tripped over a fallen tree.

Stiles pulled himself up to look at the damage the fall caused when he heard a twig snap right in front of him.

Stiles' head shot up and his eyes landed on the wolf he was supposed to be running from. The wolf was looking at him with the most bored expression he had ever seen on a wolf. Except it was unbelievably familiar. With that, the situation crashed down on Stiles.

“You are such a fucker!” Stiles said as he watched the wolf in disbelief. “You had to drop by unannounced and as a fucking wolf.”

The wolf cocked its’ head at him.

“I just ran for my life for no reason. What the hell are you doing here?” Stiles asked as he tried to get up. He noticed some red staining his clothing and various places on his body hurt like hell. More bandages for Stiles. Awesome.

Before Stiles could get up the wolf came over to him and sniffed his bleeding hand. “Yeah, I’m a klutz I get it,” Stiles said in resignation.

Stiles once again started to pull himself up from the ground, managing to get up this time. “Come on,” Stiles said as he started walking in the direction of his Jeep, which he didn’t let in impound for very long.

Stiles was so used to this situation, limping through the woods, bleeding, and in pain. What the hell was his life?

Eventually, he made it back to the Jeep. The wolf had stayed him the whole time.

When he opened the door, he looked back at the wolf which gave out what sounded like a sigh. Stiles turned around to look at the wolf, leaving enough room for the wolf to jump in and across to the passenger side. “Great. Fantastic. Wet dog smell.” Stiles sighed as he got in the driver’s seat.  

They drove in silence back to Stiles house.

When Stiles pulled up to his house he could see a black Camaro sitting in front of his house. Stiles parked the Jeep beside it.

This time when Stiles got out he held the door open for the wolf, which hopped out gracefully.

Stiles started walking to his house when he heard a bark behind him. He turned to see that the wolf was sitting next to the Camaro looking at him.

“What? What do you want, dude?” Stiles sighed as he walked over to the wolf.

When he looked inside the Camaro he saw a small black bag. “What do I look like, your servant?” Stiles mumbled as he pulled open the door and got the bag out.

This time the wolf followed him as he went to the house.

Stiles got into his room and the wolf grabbed the black duffle’s handles in its teeth and headed into the hall. Stiles wasn’t sure how much time passed but he heard the duffel hit the floor of his room.

“You know you could have just waited at the house for me to get back,” Stiles said as he slowly peeled off his tee shirt having already taken off his now ruined flannel.

“Scott said you would be here.” Was the first thing Derek said to him. Stiles still hadn’t looked at him, too busy unsticking his bloody clothes from himself.

“Well, I had to run an errand for Deaton. You are so lucky I was on my last one.” Stiles would not have been able to dig another hole and place the stupid jar in it after his fall.

“I know,” Derek replied. Stiles could see him out of the corner of his eye move closer holding the first aid kit the Stilinski’s kept under the sink for this exact reason.

“Ugh, I’m an idiot. There are no wolves in California especially none that look like you.” Stiles said as he sat down on his bed after getting out of his bloody clothing. Stiles could feel a cut on his shoulder where he landed. His hands were a mess and he had a few scrapes on his legs. Great. At least none of them seemed to need stitches.

“You remember what I look like?” Derek’s surprise was evident.

“Dude, that was the first time I saw an actual wolf. Duh.” Stiles said as he watched Derek move in front of him, set the kit down, and start to pull things out. Derek looked good. Really good.

“Sorry, I startled you,” Derek said smirking at Stiles. Asshole.

“Yeah yeah. Totally conditioned to run from wolves at this point.” Stiles really was. He was damn good at running now. Lots of practice running for his life on a weekly sometimes daily basis.

Derek snorted at him. “This will probably hurt,” Derek said just as he started cleaning the scrapes on Stiles' legs. If this situation would have happened a few year ago Stiles would have been a mess. Derek was cleaning his wounds, in his bedroom, while Stiles was only in his boxers. But now he was better at taking things in stride.

“So you asked Scott where to find me?” Stiles said after some silence as Derek bandaged his legs and moved to his shoulder.

“Yes.”

“Why?” Stiles asked.

“Because he has been keeping me updated but only partially. I thought you would be the best one to give me the full rundown.” Derek trusted Stiles to tell him the whole truth and nothing but.

“Well, you’re not wrong there.” Stiles had to agree.

“Besides I wanted to see how you were. How’s your dad?” Scott did tell Derek that the Sheriff was injured.

“He’s okay now, once we figured it out.” Stiles hated that his dad was hurt and almost died because of a new monster of the week.

As Derek cleaned Stiles shoulder wound which was apparently a lot worse than the rest Stiles told him about the Dread Doctors, Theo, Donovan, the beast, and the new additions to the pack.

By the time he was done Derek had cleaned the cuts on Stiles' hands and was starting to bandage them.

“I should have been here.”

“You needed to be away from here. This place has the unhealthy habit of killing the things that live here.” Stiles replied to Derek.

“You’re still here,” Derek said as he caught Stiles' eyes.

“Well, considering the things that have tried to kill me, I must be pretty damn lucky,” Stiles replied as he looked at Derek.

Derek went back to wrapping Stiles hands in crisp white bandages.

“So how long are you back for?” Stiles asked when Derek finished the bandages and got up to get Stiles some clothes.

“Depends,” Derek said when he turned around with a pair of Stiles sleep pants and a zipper hoodie.

“On?” Stiles edged.

“The pack. If I’m wanted here.”

“Well, you have my vote.” Stiles knew Derek could offer a lot of help to the pack. He knew how a pack was supposed to run. Not to mention the new members they have now.

“Yeah?” Derek asked as he sat down next to Stiles on the bed. Derek reached out and started to draw Stiles’ pain from his hand.

“Yeah.”

“Thank you.”

“You just said thank you. I think that was the nicest thing you ever said to me.” Stiles said as he bumped Derek’s shoulder with his good one.

“I think we are both different now,” Derek replied as he looked at Stiles profile as Stiles turned his head to look at Derek.

“Not the worst thing I guess,” Stiles replied as he looked at Derek. “Thanks for patching me up by the way.”

“I did cause it so that’s the least I could do.”

“You need to meet the pack,” Stiles said rather suddenly. Stiles was glad to have Derek back. After everything that happened since Derek left it felt good to have someone back in his life that Stiles trusted fully. “I missed you, you know Sourwolf.”

“I hate when you call me that.”

“I don’t have to be a wolf to know that was a lie,” Stiles said with a shit-eating grin.

“I can’t believe I actually missed you.” Derek sighed shaking his head.

“Same dude. Same.”

“Don’t call me dude.”

Neither noticed that Derek hadn’t let go of Stiles' hand.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The fluffiest thing I have written.
> 
> you can find me on tumblr [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	2. Yay or Nay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The new pack and the old pack meet.

Stiles wakes up way too early to his dad calling him from downstairs. He realizes that he and Derek fell asleep talking last night. Well, he can freak out over that later.

“Coming,” Stiles said as he walked down the steps towards his dad.

“What?” Stiles asked when he sees his dad.

“Why didn’t you tell me we were having guests?”

“Um, what?” The Sheriff motioned behind him to the kitchen.

Stiles went over to the kitchen. First, he saw duffle bags similar to Derek’s. Then he saw Isaac and Jackson.

“What the--” Stiles was about to swear but his dad was standing behind him.

“Derek here?” Isaac asked smiling at him.

“You’re the werewolf figure it out,” Stiles retorted with a smirk.

“Uh your dad-” Jackson began to say.

“Werewolves, Kanimas, kitsune, banshee all a part of my vocabulary now kid.” The sheriff said as he finished his coffee. “I’m off to work, love you son.”

“Love you, dad.”

“Your dad found out?” Jackson asked.

“I’m surprised Lydia didn’t tell you. I had to tell dad when—not long after the alpha pack left.” Stiles did not want to start talking about the Nogitsune let alone to Jackson.

Jackson just stared at him.

“Derek! Get your ass down here! I know you heard them way before they even got to the house.” Stiles said no louder than if Derek was standing in front of him. Stupid werewolf hearing.

Stiles got to work on making breakfast for the four of them while Derek came down.

“You guys didn’t have to follow me you know,” Derek said as he looked Isaac and Jackson.

“We know,” Isaac said as he got himself a cup of coffee.

“I should call Scott and let him know,” Derek said before he left to do just that.

“What about Lydia?” Stiles asked Jackson from where he was making pancakes.

“Yeah, I told her. Surprised she isn’t here.” Jackson said looking a little sad.

“Nah she really shouldn’t come until her alpha knows about you guys. Text her as soon as Derek and Scott are done talking and let her know.” Stiles told him. His Emissary training was coming in handy for something. All the fucking werewolf rules he read are finally becoming useful.

“Oh. Thanks.” Jackson said. Stiles couldn’t believe how unJackson that was.

“Scott said the pack will come by around lunchtime,” Derek said when he came back into the kitchen just as the pancakes were getting finished up.

“Great. Well, then you can fork up the money for pizza.” Stiles said to Derek as he handed him a plate of food.

They decided to just eat at the kitchen table instead of in the dining room. Sure enough, Lydia came over before they even finished eating.

“There’s a plate waiting for you,” Stiles said not even surprised by her appearance.

Lydia sat down next to Jackson, who bumped her shoulder with his.

“This is weird, right?” Stiles suddenly asked when there was a bought of silence. Stiles couldn’t believe he was eating breakfast with his former pack. He was eating breakfast with Derek, Jackson, Isaac, and Lydia. He never thought he would have this.

“Shut up Stilinski.” Jackson retorted.

“Ah, there’s the Jackson we all know and hate!” Stiles exclaimed because this was something he could handle. Jackson being an ass was normal.

Everyone else was just looking at him smiling.

“What?” Stiles asked looking around.

“It’s good to be back.” Jackson, Isaac, and Derek all said at relatively the same time.

There was a pause before Lydia added, “It’s good to see you happy again.” That made Stiles pause. It felt good to have these people around him again.

“Are you guys staying?” Stiles asks because he really didn’t know what to say to that.

“That depends on the pack and Scott,” Derek said looking at Stiles.

“But you will stay if they--” Lydia started to ask.

“I’m not leaving,” Derek said as he watched Stiles for his reaction.

“You might not have a choice if Scott doesn’t want you here.”

“I’m staying too.” Isaac quietly announced before he looked around at everyone and said louder, “I’m staying.”

“Scott can tell you to leave. He’s the alpha.” Stiles pointed out. He knew way too much about pack dynamics due to the emissary training.

“We’ll figure it out Stilinski,” Jackson said.

Stiles nodded before he grabbed his plate and went to the kitchen. Stiles was so lost in his own thoughts that he didn’t even notice Derek following him.

“Hey. It’s going to be okay.” Derek said as he came to stand beside Stiles to help do the dishes.

“You would think I would be used to getting snuck up on.” Stiles sighed.

“How are your wounds?” Derek asked suddenly.

“Healed.”

“What?” Derek asked because well what.

“Spark remember.” Was Stiles only answer.

“Oh.”

“I’m going to go shower,” Stiles said as he left Derek and the others watching him.

“He can heal himself?” Derek asked Lydia.

“He can do a lot more than that. He has been training on his own because Deaton won’t train him properly.” Lydia answered. She was the only one Stiles told about it. Stiles wasn’t in the business of trusting the people around him. Stiles and Scott haven’t been the same for a long time.

“What has been going on here since we’ve been gone?” Isaac asked.

They were sitting in the living room listen to Lydia talk. She started after Derek left because Derek had filled them in on that a while ago.

When Stiles came down after taking much longer than necessary, he heard Lydia starting to talk about the Sheriff being in the hospital.

Stiles sat down beside Derek but didn’t interrupt Lydia. He didn’t say anything the whole time.

“Why are you guys still here?” Isaac asked once Lydia was done.

Stiles snorted before saying, “Lovely weather here.”

Derek snorted from his spot beside Stiles.

“Maybe we should get out,” Stiles said quietly.

“You won’t leave,” Lydia said looking at him.

“I could.”

“Your dad.”

“College.”

“You will always come back here, Stiles. It’s home.” Lydia said to him. She knew exactly how he felt because she felt the same.

“Home is more than a place, it’s the people in it.”

“Stilinski went and became a hippie,” Jackson said without the usual mirth.  

“We will stay here, Stiles.”

The pack would be there before too long and they needed to order pizza yet. By the time that was done there was a knock on the door.

“It's open,” Stiles called out from the kitchen.

“Pizza?” Scott asked.

“Yeah, I’ll bring them in when everyone gets here.”

“Why do you smell so anxious?” Scott asked cocking his head to the side looking at Stiles.

“I don’t want this to end,” Stiles answered before the door burst open and the rest of the pack filled in.

“Who wants pizza?” Stiles asked over all the commotion.

It wasn’t until everyone was eating that Mason asked who the new guys were.

“We’re not the new ones here,” Jackson answered.

“Yes, you are,” Hayden replied.

“No, they aren’t,” Scott said ending the debate.

“What do you mean?” Mason asked.

“Derek Hale, Isaac Lahey, and Jackson Whittemore. They were here when I got the bite.” Scott answered.

“What are you doing here now?” Corey asked.

“I’m here for Stiles,” Derek said looking at Stiles.

“We came because Derek came,” Isaac said.

“So wait is Derek an alpha?” Hayden asked.

“Not anymore,” Derek replied.

“What happened?”

“I have it up to save my sister.”

Everyone was quite then.

“Are you going to stay here?” Scott asked.

“We would like to,” Derek answered.

“Do you want to be in the pack?” Scott asked.

“Would you have us?” Derek replied.

“I don’t know.” 

“We could use their help. Derek knows more about werewolves than anyone other than Stiles.” Kira chimed in.

“We have been fine without them,” Liam said.

“Fine. We have been fine?” Stiles burst out. “Are you serious?” Everyone was looking at him now. “We have been far from fine. This isn’t a pack. We are just a group of people trying not to die.”

“Stiles--” Scott started.

“Stiles is right,” Lydia said.

“So what your pack just like that?” Malia asked.

“Maybe we could just try it out and see where it goes,” Derek said as he looked at Stiles.

“We could do that,” Stiles replies looking at Derek.

“Why do I feel like you guys are talking about something else?” Scott asked.

“Don’t worry about it. So they can stay?” Stiles asked.

“Welcome back,” Scott said.

Stiles let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

They didn’t discuss anything further opting for a few movies. It was awkward but not awful. Jackson went home with Lydia while Isaac and Derek stayed at Stiles’.

“Everything is healed,” Derek said as he walked over to Stiles who was changing his shirt to go to sleep.

“Yeah I have picked up a few tricks of my own,” Stiles replied before he felt Derek’s fingers trace what Stiles was sure a nasty scar on his shoulder. “I still scar but at least I can heal.”

“Stiles, you’re amazing. What else can you do?” Derek asked.

“I’m working on wards. But I haven’t been able to try anything while actually fighting.”

“Would you like me to help you?”

“Really?” Stiles only told Lydia about learning more about his spark. He didn’t really have anyone to train with, though.

“Of course,” Derek replied honestly.

“That’s—thank you. That would be great.” Stiles smiled at Derek.

“About earlier with Scott,” Derek said as he watched Stiles smile turn to confusion. “When I said we should try and see where it goes.” Derek elaborated.

“Yeah?” Stiles said trying not to be too hopeful. Stiles kept in contact with Derek mostly e-mail because the wolf apparently was anti-phone. Stiles was always attracted to Derek, who wouldn’t but never thought it possible. They started talking once Derek was out of Beacon Hills and they were friends. He was friends with Derek Hale.

“Stiles if you don’t want--”

“No, I do. I just well let’s see if our friendship holds up in person rather than e-mail and see where it goes.” Stiles said.

“I came back for you, Stiles. I want to see where this goes.”

“Me too.” Stiles smiled at Derek.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hadn't planned on this fic being more than a one-shot. I don't know if it's done or not. 
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	3. Underestimated

The pack really didn’t hang out together much. It was summer after all. Stiles saw some of them for lacrosse practice but that was it. He knew from Lydia and Malia that no one was really hanging out together. They were so separate from each other. Stiles knew, from all his research, but also just from this feeling that packs were not supposed to be this way. His spark wasn’t exactly thrilled with the distance of the people he wanted to protect.

Derek, Isaac, and Jackson got a place to live. It was much less doom and gloom than Derek’s last apartment. Stiles made sure of that. Lydia helped (did all of it) of course. Stiles did buy a plant, though. Stiles spent most of his time either at Derek’s or training with Derek.

Derek was serious about the whole ‘I’ll help you thing’. After lacrosse practice, Stiles drove out to the preserve to meet Derek and they would run. Stiles didn’t like to think about how far they ran like every day. Eventually, they would get to an open field where Stiles would work with his Spark.

Derek was fascinated by Stiles’ magic. He loved watching Stiles even if it was something simple like lighting a candle with his mind. To some of the harder stuff like helping plants grow. Derek kept an eye on Stiles so he didn’t exhaust himself. The first time Stiles made a tree grow he passed out. Derek is more careful now.

Derek worked with Stiles on hand to hand, just some of the basic self-defense stuff. Once he got that they added the magic. It was not easy more times than not Stiles would bring up a shield to protect himself from Derek’s punch except no light shield came but the punch sure did. Stiles was slowly getting better. And another benefit is he was better at lacrosse to actually making first line.

“Stiles, what have you been doing?” Scott asked in the locker room a few weeks into training with Derek.

“What do you mean?” Stiles was confused.

“That,” Scott said as he pointed to the large bruise on Stiles ribcage. The day before Stiles broke a few ribs in training. Derek was not happy. But Stiles healed all that was left was a bruise and that was even fading.

“Oh, it’s healing. It will be gone by tonight.” Stiles shrugged. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep things from Scott but he knew Scott would freak out. Also, he was selfish and wanted to keep his training between him and Derek.

“Who did it?”

“I’m learning how to fight. I’m bound to get some bruises.”

“You can’t fight,” Liam said from a few lockers down. He had been listening to the whole conversation.

“Yes, I can,” Stiles said. He was tired of always being the weak one.

“Stiles you don’t need to learn how to fight. You don’t have any powers.” Scott said.

That made Stiles mad. Slamming his locker Stiles turned to look at Scott, “Did you forget I’m a Spark. As in I have magic. I can fight. And I don’t need your permission in the first place.”

“Wait, Stiles--” Scott tried but Stiles was already leaving.

When Stiles got to the Preserve Derek knew something was wrong.

“What happened?”

“Scott saw the bruise, proceeded to tell me I can’t fight and that I have no power. Oh, and Liam was there to back him up.” Stiles said through his teeth before he took off running at a faster pace than usual. Derek caught up easily but didn’t say anything.

When they reached the field where they usually train neither made a move, they just stood there.

“You want to talk about it?” Derek asked.

“I will never get used to you asking me that,” Stiles said as he kept staring ahead.

“Like I said we are both different now.”

“Scott and I aren’t the same. We haven’t been not since the Nogitsune, not since Donovan. He doesn’t trust me and I don’t know if I trust him.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because he sees Deaton as Emissary and not me.”

“Maybe you need to talk to him about that?”

“He sees me a weak defenseless Stiles.”

“You were never weak.” At that, Stiles looked over to Derek for the first time since he got to the Preserve.

“You don’t seriously believe that.’

“Stiles you are the only known survivor of a Nogitsune possession. Before that, you flat out turned by uncle down when he offered the bite. You stayed with your best friend when he was turned into a mythical creature. You are anything but weak.”

“Thanks,” Stiles said looking down. “No one else sees me that way.”

“I think more people do than you realize.”

“Want to go get some food?” Stiles asked. He wasn’t feeling training. He had enough emotions today to last a week.

“Sure” Derek replied smiling.

The next day Scott sent a text for a pack meeting to everyone.

They all met at Scott’s house. Liam, Mason, Hayden, Cory, Lydia, Kira, Malia, Stiles, Jackson, Isaac, Derek.

It was awkward.

“What are we doing here?” Liam asked once everyone was in the same room.

“It’s a pack meeting,” Scott answered.

“Yeah, but why?” Liam asked.

“To update everyone,” Scott replied.

“On what? Nothing has been going on right?” Mason asked.

“That doesn’t matter packs are supposed to want to hang out. It shouldn’t take a damn text to get everyone in one place. Pack is supposed to be family.” Stiles said. He was so irritated. This was not a pack. Pack was family. Except this was not his family. The group before him had members of his family in it but not all.

“What would you know about it?” Liam sneered at Stiles.

“A lot more than you,” Stiles replied.

“Okay, guys that’s not why we are here. Some people have been training and I think we need--”

“Are you kidding me, Scott? You called us all her because I’m training. What is this an intervention?”

“What no I just don’t think you should put yourself in danger--”

“Put myself in danger? I’m sorry, have you been around the last five years at all? We live in constant danger.”

“You don’t you’re just a human.” Hayden pointed out.

Stiles stood up then, “I am not just a human I am a Spark.”

“Yeah and what can you do? Nothing.” Liam said scoffing.

“Stiles. Breathe.” Derek said softly from beside Stiles.

“This is bullshit. I’m out of here.” Stiles said as he walked out.

“What the hell was that Scott?” Lydia asked from her seat next to Jackson.

“He can’t fight.”

“Like hell he can’t. Have you even bothered to ask him about his magic? No, you haven’t.” Lydia said.

“And you have?” Hayden asked.

“Of course. We have been talking about wards and shields and weapons for months. He has been doing the same with Derek for even longer. Learning all he can about everything magical, mystical and mythical.”

“We’ve all asked him about it. You can smell it on him.” Jackson said after.

“He can do this cool light thing. Oh, and make it snow inside!” Isaac, ever the puppy, added.

“Everyone here has asked him about something except Scott, Liam. Hayden and Cory.” Lydia pointed out.

“Mason?” Liam asked.

“It’s like Kira said Stiles knows more about Werewolves and all of this than anyone else. He’s the one who always figures it out.” Mason replied. Mason had asked Stiles for references to find out more information on the things that go bump in the night. Stiles e-mailed him hundreds of links. A bestiary Stiles has been updating for the past five years on their experiences and what he’s learned and so much more.

“Is he really that strong?” Scott asked as he realized he was the one who was wrong.

“Ask him yourself, McCall,” Jackson said before he stood up with Lydia. Everyone else followed except Hayden, Liam, and Cory.

“The only reason I’m alive is because of Stiles.” Scott said softly.

“Did he really do that much to help you?” Cory asked.

“More than I probably know,” Scott replied.

\--

Stiles had gone to Derek’s after he left Scott’s. He didn’t know where to go. Scott was his best friend, his brother, but things were so different between them.

When he got to Derek’s, completely lost in thought, he automatically started to make food.

Not much time passed before he heard the door open.

“You didn’t answer your phone,” Derek said from the entry as he walked towards the kitchen.

“Didn’t hear it.” Stiles was thinking too much.

“What are you making and can we eat it?” Malia asked.

“Don’t really know I just threw stuff together and yes you can eat it,” Stiles said will a small smile.

“Scott’s an idiot,” Jackson said rather suddenly when they were all in the living room eating the soup Stiles made. Turns out Stiles makes a killer vegetable soup.

“What happened after I left?” Stiles asked looking at his soup but not eating.

“Scott realized he was an idiot.” Jackson summed up.

Stiles looked up at him then to Lydia for further explanation.

“What Jackson means is that we all told Scott that it’s only him and a few of the others that completely underestimate you,” Lydia answered.

“Oh.”

“So this is what a pack does. Sit down eat, talk, watch tv. Sounds like family.” Mason said. It wasn’t as weird as they thought it would be to have him there. He just followed their lead.  

“It is family. We are family.” Derek replied. Derek was happy to have this again.

“Do you guys even realize what you did? I mean you all just came here without really talking about it. Then you got out bowls and drinks and dished up food. Everyone went and sat down and it was like you have done it a million times.” Mason was amazed that this was pack.

“That’s what pack is supposed to be. We all feel it. I felt it before any of the magic stuff.” Stiles answered.

“So, anyone want to train me in self-defense?” Mason asked.

Stiles looked at him then burst out laughing, “even after what just happened?”

“I think even more now,” Mason replied.

Stiles looked at Derek who nodded.

“I think we can arrange something. Running for our lives usually goes better if you can actually run.” Stiles smiled and started eating.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished my first semester of grad school so I should have some more time to write now!  
> This was angstier than I planned and I have no idea where this fic is going.
> 
> Find me on tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	4. Sanctuary

Stiles tried to sleep. He really did. He stayed up reading some of the books he found about magic along with the ones Derek gave him. The internet is a wonderful thing. Eventually, he got up from his desk and decided to go to bed. Stiles woke up screaming from a nightmare just like the ones he had from the Nogitsune. He still had them but not as often. They weren't the same as they were. It was based off some of the stuff from the Nogitsune, the same feelings but now added to it was his recent experiences. Donovan was featured in more than a few. 

This one featured Scott screaming at him that he killed Allison, that it was all Stiles’ fault. He's had this one before but somehow this one is worse. It's layered with the mistrust Scott had for him. There was real anger. 

Stiles remained in bed trying to calm his breathing as he counted his fingers over and over. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. Ten. 

Stiles checked his phone once his hands stopped shaking enough to and saw he only got two hours of sleep. And there was no going back to sleep after that event though his dad wasn’t home.

Last night he crashed at Derek’s with the pack and he actually slept. They had stayed up late watching movies but at least he didn’t have a nightmare.

There was no way he was going back to sleep now. So, Stiles put on a tee shirt and hoodie as well as some sweats before he grabbed his bag with his magic stuff. Before he left the house, Stiles wrote a note saying that he was going to the Preserve and that he didn’t want anyone around today.

He got into the Jeep and thought about going to see Derek. Stiles pushed that thought away. 

Stiles parked his Jeep in its’ usual spot getting out and lighting one of the glowy balls of light so he can see as he starts to jog through the woods.

Stiles couldn’t stop thinking about the nightmare. He never forgave himself for the Nogitsune and he never learned to separate what it did from himself. He would always blame himself for Allison. And he wondered is Scott did too. The only person he ever talked about the Nogitsune with was Derek and that was only through e-mails. Anytime Stiles woke up from a nightmare and couldn’t fall back asleep he would send an e-mail to Derek about it. The first-time Stiles sent one Stiles had a panic attack and didn’t look at Derek’s response for four days which wasn’t the best response because he made Derek worry. It took Stiles a long time to be even slightly comfortable with talking about the Nogitsune. He still has trouble hence why instead of calling Derek or hell even e-mailing him Stiles is jogging through the woods to his clearing to practice magic. Go figure.

When Stiles gets to the clearing he creates more balls of light and sends them to surround the clearing making bright enough for him to see. He was getting a lot better with control and stamina. When he first started, he could barely make one ball of light without needing a nap but practice makes perfect and all that. His strength training with Derek really helped too.

Stiles decided he wanted to see how far he could push himself. He was already emotionally drained from the nightmare and physically tired from lack of sleep but his magic was humming.

Stiles started doing the base workout he and Derek developed for him to get warmed up before training. After that the pulled out his container of Mountain Ash. He refused to carry a glass jar around because hello clumsy.

Stiles sat the container on the ground in front of where he was standing. He pictured the ash flowing out of the container to form a circle around him. The thing was he had trouble picturing things without his eyes closed. Now is as good of time as any to work on it.

Stiles tried to imagine the ash going back into the container without closing his eyes to picture it. Nothing happened.

“Great.” Stiles sighed to himself aloud.

Stiles lost track of how long he spent teaching himself to move ash where he wanted it without closing his eyes. By the time it was getting light Stiles could do it. So, he started pushing how far he could stretch the ash. Eventually, he got it so it was flush with the edge of the clearing where his balls of light still hovered.

Stiles took a moment to be proud of himself for not letting them disappear even when he focused on the ash.

He kept the lights up and the ash out surrounding the clearing. He found a spell before he went to sleep that could protect an area. As far as he understood it he could make the clearing a protected space where he could limit who could come into it. Stiles figured it wouldn’t be the worst thing to have a safe space in the preserve if the pack needed to recover or disappear for a while.

The spell needed anchors and that took Stiles a minute to figure out until he realized that he had magically grown trees around the entire clearing. The trees would make perfect anchors.

Stiles moved to the first tree placing his hand over the place he wanted the rune. He looked at his hand and pictured the rune the spell called for, scorched into the tree when he removed his hand. Sure enough, when he pulled his hand away there was a faint smell of smoke and the rune was there.

Stiles moved around the clearing doing the same to each tree placing runes for protection, health, healing and more.

By the time he was done with that the sun was shining on him from above.

There was one last thing he needed to do. Stiles walked to the center of the clearing. He pictured the same runes he placed on the trees scorched into the ground in a circle. As he did this the wind picked up and the sun felt warmer on his face. He pictured the people he wanted to be allowed in. Derek. Lydia. Malia. Isaac. Jackson. Kira. Mason. Scott. Liam. Cory. Hayden. His pack.

Stiles felt the air in the clearing settle into the spell. It was somehow calmer in the clearing. Like nothing in the world could touch him.

He did it.

Stiles smiled to himself.

He did it.

Stiles felt how tired he was then. More magically tired than he has been in a very long time. Usually Derek was there with him. To stop him from going too far. 

“Dude!” Stiles heard from behind him. He spun around, eye glowing ready to fight not recognizing the person and upset he didn’t realize someone was there. He should really do big spells when someone is there to protect him because right now he feels so drained. Derek asked him not to do anything really big without him. Stiles apparently didn't listen to that one. Stiles realized now, after the fact, that Derek made him feel stronger when he was with him. Stiles also felt safe with Derek. He knew Derek would never let anyone sneak up on him while Stiles was doing magic. Derek liked to be there to protect Stiles, not just watch him do magic. Derek was going to be pissed. 

“Stiles! It’s me! It’s Scott!” Scott? That got Stiles to actually look and sure enough, there was Scott standing there hands up completely shocked.

Stiles felt his eyes turn back from the blazing white (he only knew the color because Derek told him his eyes flashed it when he did magic sometimes) to his usual color and he dropped his fighting stance. Stiles hadn’t realized he pulled all his remaining magic up to the surface until he relaxed. Stiles couldn’t stand anymore the exhaustion was too much. Between the lack of sleep, the magic he used, the spell, and the sheer surprise he collapsed.

The last thing he heard before everything when dark was Scott screaming his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cliffhanger... oops.  
> I am continuing this. It has a known direction for the most part! 
> 
> Come visit me on Tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	5. Home

Scott ran to Stiles when he saw him start to collapse. He never meant for this to happen.

Scott went to Stiles’ house sometime after the sun came up to talk to him because he couldn’t sleep. He found the note and decided to go to the preserve even though Stiles said not to.

Scott ran to the preserve and caught Stiles scent following it on a well-worn path until he got to a clearing. He watched Stiles move around the lit clearing amazed by what he saw. Stiles was in a magic lit clearing working with Mountain Ash and trees and magic. Stiles didn’t hear him or see him so Scott just stood and watched Stiles. He couldn’t believe what Stiles was doing. It made Scott feel like an idiot for how he treated Stiles and for not realizing.  

When Scott thought Stiles was done with whatever he was doing he called to Stiles, excited to ask him about what he saw. Scott never expected Stiles to turn on him with glowing white eyes and a fighting stance. Scott could feel the magic in the air waiting to be used that wasn’t there until he surprised Stiles. Stiles was ready to protect himself even though he had looked tired before. Stiles could protect himself.

Scott rushed to Stiles when Scott saw him start to collapse after Stiles realized who called him. He grabbed Stiles’ bag and then lifted Stiles up. Scott ran down the worn path until he got to Stiles’ Jeep. He put Stiles into the passenger side and got into the driver’s side. Scott sped off to Derek’s.

“Scott,” Derek answered when Scott called him while Scott drove towards where he knew Derek’s place was.

“I’m on my way to you with Stiles. He passed out.” Scott rushed out. He had no idea what to do or how to help Stiles.

“What? Where was he?” Derek asked urgently. Scott got even more anxious because Derek sounded panicked.

“He was in a clearing in the preserves. He did some serious magic, I think, I don’t know and he didn’t hear me he- he had white eyes and then when he realized it was me he collapsed.”  

“Okay, when you get here I need you to tell me everything,” Derek said. Scott nodded forgetting he was on the phone. Scott noted Derek sounded less panicked but still completely upset. Well for Derek.

“His heartbeat is strong,” Scott said. Scott listened to it the whole time he carried Stiles for any change but it stayed steady as if he was just sleeping.

“Good.” Derek literally breathed out into the phone. Derek relaxed at that. He knew what happened when Stiles used too much magic and this sounded exactly like it. He just needed to see Stiles for himself to make sure. Derek had no idea why Stiles was out there or why he was doing so much magic. Stiles usually asked him to be there with him.    

“I’ll be there in ten,” Scott said before he hung up. He listened to Stiles heartbeat the rest of the drive.  

\--

Scott haphazardly pulled the Jeep in and got Stiles and his bag out of the Jeep. He got up to Derek’s apartment noticing the door was already open and Derek stood in the entry looking at Stiles with concern. Scott didn’t know what was going on with Stiles and Derek. When Derek had called him about Stiles he was completely confused. He thought Stiles and Derek were barely friends. But Derek came back and has been near Stiles since. Had they kept in contact while Derek was away? Because Stiles always smelled of Derek, like they spent a lot of time together. Now Derek was looking at Stiles with something more.

“Come on.” Derek tilted his head for Scott to follow him into the apartment.

Scott followed him into the apartment which was a vast improvement over the last. Less sparse.  

“This way” Derek lead him into a bedroom that smelled heavily of Derek and a little of Stiles. Scott really needed to ask what was going on. He was so confused.

Scott put him on the bed and watched as Derek knelt beside the bed to look at Stiles. Derek reached for Stiles' hand and held it in both of his before Derek’s shoulder’s slumped. Derek took Stiles pain. There wasn’t a lot and what was there seemed to be from working out muscle exhaustion. Not anything major but Derek rather Stiles felt no pain at all.

“He will be fine. He’s just exhausted magically and otherwise. He needs rest.” Derek spoke up. Derek had seen this more times than he cared to with Stiles. Every time it happened Derek brought Stiles to his apartment and put in here for him to rest.

“You’re sure?” Scott asked nervously. He had never seen Stiles like this.

“Yes. It used to happen a lot before he learned his boundaries and started to bring me along when he practiced.” Derek replied. Stiles and Derek got into a fight about it but Derek insisted Stiles bring him along when he practiced. This is what happens when he doesn’t. Derek didn’t even want to think about how long Stiles would have been out in the Preserve alone before anyone found him.  

“Oh,” Scott said. He had missed a lot of Stiles life recently. The magic, Derek, just Stiles. Scott wasn’t a part of any of it anymore.

“What’s going on? Is Stiles okay?” Isaac asked making both Scott and Derek turn to see Isaac and Jackson standing in the doorway looking worried.  

“He seems to have done too much magic,” Derek answered.

“He’ll be okay, though right?” Isaac asked worriedly. Isaac and Stiles have been hanging out a lot and not just because they are both at Derek’s. They seemed to have talked some things through. Derek didn’t get all the details but he would bet it was about the Nogitsune and Allison.

“Yeah, he’ll be fine. Just needs to rest for a while.” Derek said trying to sooth the beta. “Let’s let him rest. I want to know what happened.” Derek said as he started walking to the door. Everyone else followed him to the kitchen.

They all sat down and Scott told them everything he knew. 

“Still think he’s just exhausted?” Scott asked Derek.

“Yeah. I’m more worried about why he was out there and for how long?” Derek said as he got up to make another pot of coffee.

“What do you mean?” Scott asked confused.

“You should ask Stiles. It’s not my place to tell you.” Derek answered. He was not going to tell Scott about Stiles’ nightmares, his fears. That was not for Derek to make that decision for Stiles. Stiles had the hardest time letting him in in the first place.

“Why not? What are you to Stiles anyway? You guys hated each other!” Scott asked with a slight growl.

“Because it’s up to Stiles. Not me. You want to know about your so called best friend than actually talk to him. Stiles and I talked the entire time I was gone and anything else is not any of your business.” Derek said bluntly.

“He won’t talk to me! But he talks to you!” Scott yelled. He wanted Stiles and him to be back the way they were before. Scott was thinking Derek was stopping Stiles from talking to him.

“Have you ever thought to ask yourself or him why that is?” Lydia asked. No one heard her come in. When they sat down Jackson texted her. Apparently, she texted everyone else because the whole pack was slowly coming into the apartment.

“I—no,” Scot answered deflating. He hadn’t thought of why Stiles and his relationship would be different. He wanted to blame Derek.  

“I think we all need to actually talk for once instead of ignoring the problems we are all going through,” Lydia stated as she went to pour herself a cup of coffee.

“Lydia’s right. Some of the pack barely know each other.” Derek replied. He was one of them. A few of the new members were entirely new to him.

“I’m a terrible Alpha,” Scott said. He had no idea how to bring the two halves of the pack together. Stiles seemed to be able to, though. Scott didn’t know what he was doing wrong.  

“Pretty much,” Jackson said.

“Jackson,” Lydia said giving him her best ‘now is not the time to be an asshole’ look.

“Technically the only ones good at anything supernatural is Derek, Lydia, and Stiles,” Isaac said ignoring Jackson.

“What do you mean?” Mason asked. Mason was so curious about everything supernatural. He wanted to know it all.  

“I mean we all suck at being supernatural things. Derek is good at being a Werewolf because he was born one. Was he a shit Alpha? Yep. But he was never born to be one in the first place. He’s good at being a Werewolf. Lydia seems to always figure out her powers. She’s the only Banshee and has only met one other yet she eventually figures out her powers. Stiles was always better with all the supernatural stuff. He’s the one that figured out Scott was a Werewolf. He figured out how to help Scott and he did. He always figures it out. Even his own supernatural stuff. Deaton won’t teach him so he decided to teach himself. They are the only ones who don’t suck at this.” By the time Isaac was done talking he was so embarrassed he was looking at his hands in his lap.

“Isaac’s right. About all of it.” Scott said.

“Some of us have gotten better at it, though,” Malia said. They were all works in progress.

“Did Stiles really teach you how to be a werewolf?” Liam asked looking at Scott.

“My first full moon he handcuffed me to a radiator and poured water into a dog bowl. I almost literally killed him for it. But it’s because of him I even survived.” Scott admitted.

“What happened between you guys?” Hayden asked.

“I don’t--” Scott began.

“Allison died,” Lydia said sadly.

“And then Theo and Donovan,” Malia added.

“I didn’t-- I should have talked to him,” Scott said. Scott didn’t know how to talk to Stiles anymore.

“It’s not like you can’t or anything,” Derek said sarcastically before he got up to see what he could make for the pack and Stiles when he woke up. It didn’t seem like the pack was leaving anytime soon.

“This place is nice,” Hayden said ignoring the tension in the room. It was then Derek realized a lot of the pack had never been here before. Even Scott was never here but he knew where it was at least.

“Thank you,” Lydia said. It was her that did most of the work anyway.

“You did this?” Kira asked having not asked before.

“I was not letting this place look like the last one Derek lived in. Stiles and I agreed.” Lydia answered.

“What did Stilinski do pick out the curtains?” Jackson snarked.

“I picked those. Stiles picked the TV and stuff for the kitchen seeing as he’s in there more than anyone other than Derek.” Lydia replied then added, “He got Derek the plant.”

“A plant?” Liam deadpanned.

“Said it was homey or something,” Isaac said with a shrug. When Stiles gave Derek the plant it had looked like the plant meant a lot more to them than a simple housewarming gift.  

“It’s actually quite rare. In ancient times, it was kept in homes to ward off danger. He must have grown it himself.” Lydia elaborated.

“That sounds more like Stiles,” Scott said with a small smile.

“So, I assume you are all staying here then.” Derek didn’t even pose it as a question. He knew they needed this. It was now or never to get the pack together. Stiles seemed to be the pin holding them together.

“Seems like it,” Scott said with an apologetic smile.

Derek just shrugged. He was happy to have pack around once again. All that was missing was the still sleeping Stiles.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm excited about tonight's episode because Teen Wolf is simply not the same without Stiles.
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	6. Truth

“So, are you and Stiles together?” Cory asked Derek a few hours after they had dinner. The pack eventually moved to the living room making themselves at home and watched some movies.

Derek looked at him completely blank.

“At least he doesn’t have his murder face going on.” Isaac mused from his seat near Derek but not next to him. Stiles was still asleep so the pack decided to eat and watch movies keeping an ear out for him. Derek suspected he wouldn’t wake up until the next morning which worried the hell out of the wolf because Stiles must have used a lot of magic on top of whatever else.

“Murder face?” Cory asked confused. He didn’t know much of anything about Derek and some of the others.

“I think we should tell the newbies about how all of this started,” Jackson said. Even Jackson could see that there was a huge disconnect and a lot of that was the newbies not knowing how all this shit started. Plus a few of the pack didn’t know much of anything about the newbies and what they went through.

“You’re the newbie,” Liam said petulantly.

“I’m really not,” Jackson said in a bored tone.

“He’s not but he doesn’t know what you guys went through either.” Lydia interrupted before a fight broke out.

“How about we tell them?” Lydia asked Scott. With the return of the original pack, Lydia knew everyone would have to hear about the last few years in Beacon Hills.

“Alright,” Scott said. Now was as good as time as any. So they started to tell the supernatural part of Beacon Hills starting with the Hale fire the whole way through the Dread Doctors.

That’s how they got to where they are now.

“Wait an Alpha Pack?”

“Your whole family burned?”

“Explain the Darac—Dark Druid thing again.”

“So the chemistry teacher died?”

“Wait the stump woke up from you going in ice baths?”

“But Peter was your uncle how could he-”

“You were an awful Alpha.”

“Supernatural assassins are a thing?”

“So what exactly is a Dread Doctor?”

Derek was thoroughly done with this entire thing. He hated talking about his family especially to strangers. He wasn’t the best Alpha and he hated to be reminded that he couldn’t protect himself let alone everyone else. Derek participated up until they got to when they left then he sat back and listened. Derek realized Stiles had told him a lot of things but left others out. When everyone started yelling questions over each other Derek heard Stiles heartbeat change. Their yelling woke up Stiles before he really should have woken up. Derek knew Stiles probably didn’t get enough rest.

Derek got up leaving the pack to try and talk over each other. He needed to check on Stiles. As far as Derek could tell he was the only one who noticed the difference in Stiles heartbeat.

Only Lydia saw Derek leave the living room.

Derek walked down the hall to his room and stood outside the door listening to see if Stiles was awake or not. When Derek was sure Stiles was awake but just lying on the bed Derek quietly knocked on the door.

Derek didn’t hear anything more than a released breath so he gently pushed open the door. When he did he was assaulted by the smell of nerves and confusion.

Derek walked over to Stiles pulling a chair beside the bed and sitting down. Derek looked at Stiles who refused to meet his eyes. Stiles looked exhausted with paler skin than usual, dark circles under his red eyes. Derek was suddenly really angry.

“You're angry,” Stiles whispered still refusing to look at Derek. He didn’t need to look at Derek to know Derek was pissed at him. Stiles felt like shit for so many reasons. He felt like he needed to drink a gallon of water, sleep for three days, and eat a truck load of curly fries. He was physically, mentally, and magically drained.

Hearing Stiles hoarse whisper Derek deflated some and quietly replied, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t.”

“Sorry,” Stiles' voice cracked like he was about to cry.

“What happened?” Derek asked. He noticed that all the talking from the main room ceased once Stiles spoke whisper or not.

Stiles opened his mouth to answer when Derek interrupted, “The pack is here.”

Stiles nodded understanding Derek’s warning so he didn’t say anything he didn’t want them to know. Stiles took a breath then said, “I had a nightmare and couldn’t go back to sleep so I went to the clearing.”

“To do magic?” Derek asked him. He wished Stiles would have talked to him.

“I know I should have called you, okay? I know. I wasn’t thinking straight.” Stiles ignored the question and answered the one he knew Derek wanted to know.

Instead of answering Derek reached over to get the water bottle he put on the night stand knowing Stiles would need it when he woke up. Derek went to open the bottle when he saw Stiles struggling to sit up. Derek hated seeing Stiles this way, it just wasn’t who Stiles was. Stiles was never weak Derek knew that from the moment he met the kid in the woods. He put the bottle back down and helped Stiles sit up making sure he was stable before Derek released his hold on Stiles to grab the bottle again.

“Thanks,” Stiles croaked out again still not meeting his eyes.

Derek held the bottle to Stiles' lips and one of Stiles' hands joined his to hold the bottle. Stiles took sips of it until the whole thing was gone.

“You already look less like the walking dead,” Derek said rather sarcastically. He hadn’t seen Stiles this drained in a long time.

“Funnywolf,” Stiles commented without his usual enthusiasm or snark.

“So you did a big spell?” Derek asked. He wanted to know everything but he knew Stiles wouldn’t tell him with the pack there.

“It wasn’t that big,” Stiles sighed. Because it wasn’t. He would have been fine doing the spell the problem was all the running and Mountain Ash training before he did the spell.

“Really because you have been passed out for twelve hours,” Derek all but snarled out.

“Yes really. The spell wasn’t that big I would have been fine with it if I hadn’t trained before I did it.” Stiles said. He knew it was the truth and he knew he did wrong but he just needed to do something and distract himself after the nightmare.

“Stiles!” Derek did snarl this time. Derek was pissed that not only did Stiles do a new spell but he trained before he did it.

“I know okay!” Stiles yelled before his shoulders fell and he put his head in his hands, “I know,” Stiles whispered.

“You want me to get you some food or are you going to come out there?” Derek asked. He didn’t want to fight it would only end up hurting both of them.

“I’m going to have to leave this room anyway. Everyone is stupidly quite out there.” Stiles sighed out before he started to try to get up.

“Hey you don’t have to--” Derek tried to tell him he didn’t need to go out there if it was going to do more harm than good.

“We both know I do. Why is everyone here anyway?” Stiles voiced the question on his mind since he woke up. Stiles was nowhere near ready to face all of them but he needed to. If he didn’t know he never would.

“They’re here for you, idiot,” Derek said. Sometimes Derek couldn’t believe how oblivious Stiles was when it came to knowing that people cared about him.

“Oh,” Stiles said. Derek saw Stiles’ blush show up more than it normally would because of his extra pale skin.

Derek looked at Stiles for a few seconds before he stood up and put his arm around Stiles' waist hauling him up.

Stiles didn’t even complain about being manhandled.

As they were walking down the hall Derek said, “I called your dad and said you were staying here for a pack night.”

Derek felt Stiles nod.

When they walked into the living room Stiles really didn’t want to look up but he did.

“Stilinski you look like shit,” Jackson said.

Some of the tension left Stiles at the completely Jackson-like comment, “always so kind Jackson.”

“Stil--” Scott started to say but Stiles interrupted.

“Food first please.”

Scott nodded and watched as Derek helped Stiles to the couch where Derek had been sitting earlier. Then Derek walked to the kitchen and dished up some of the food he left for Stiles as well as another water bottle and some juice. When Derek came back he handed the food to Stiles and placed the water and juice on the table next to the couch.

“Thanks,” Stiles said once Derek was seated next to him. Stiles starting eating a lot faster than he should but he was damn hungry.

“So, are you guys together?” Cory asked breaking the awkward silence.

Stiles kept on eating and Derek pulled his murder face at Cory.

“There’s the murder face!” Isaac said enthusiastically.

“I see how you pinned two murders on him,” Hayden said.

“What the heck?” Stiles interrupted. He must have missed a lot.

“While you were getting your beauty sleep everyone was filled in on the last few years,” Jackson said.

“So that’s what the yelling was about earlier?” Stiles asked looking at Lydia who nodded.

“So what do you want to know? And before you all start at once one at a fucking time.” Stiles said as he continued to eat. “One at a time.”

“Are we really going to do this?” Jackson groaned.

“Yes,” Lydia answered. Lydia wanted to ask Stiles what the hell he was thinking doing magic in the woods alone, but she knew now was not the time, not yet.

Mason rose his hand.

“Mason.” Stiles smiled a small genuine smile.

“What exactly sparked the Nematon back to life?”

“A combo of things at least from what Deaton said. Paige’s death, the Darach, the dunk in the ice baths.” Stiles answered then added, “think of it like a spell. To work they need a variety of things to happen like ingredients for it to work.”

“But the Darach didn’t finish the sacrifice, right?”

“Allison, Scott, and Stiles sacrificed themselves for their parents,” Lydia answered.

“But you guys are okay?” Cory asked confused.

“Allison’s not,” Stiles whispered but everyone heard him. He finished eating but now he felt like he was going to puke. Allison was not okay. Derek moved his body even closer to Stiles and grabbed one of Stiles' hands in his own.

“We all were left with a—it was like a do—door open in our minds.” _When is a door not a door_. Stiles had one hand fisted in his hair and while Derek held on to his other.

“How did you close it?” Mason asked cautiously.

“I didn’t,” Stiles replied. Derek could hear his heartbeat going crazy like a panic attack building.

“Yes, you did. When you got my foot out of the animal trap.” Lydia interjected. She hated seeing Stiles blame himself.

“Lot of good that did! That thing was already in me!” Stiles all but screamed at Lydia. “I’m sorry,” he whispered when he realized what he said and that he yelled.

“Hey, Stiles breath okay. Come on count,” Derek said as he released Stiles hands forcing them open so he could see all ten fingers.

“What’s with the counting?” Jackson asked as he watched Stiles fall apart. He hadn’t realized how bad it actually was.

“It’s how you tell if you are in a dream or not. You don’t have all your fingers in a dream.” Scott answered as he watched his best friend try to pull himself together. It was then Scott realized that he never talked to Stiles about the Nogitsune. The never _talked_ about it. 

“You blame yourself for Allison that’s why you have trouble talking to me,” Scott said his realization out loud.

Stiles started to laugh.

It was a terrible laugh the kind that made most of the pack flinch.

“Of course, I blame myself!”

“But you can talk to Lydia and Isaac.”

“Stiles and I talked about it when I came back,” Isaac said. Isaac was very much like Scott, held some blame for Stiles. When it was decided they were staying Isaac asked if he and Stiles could talk and they did. It didn’t clear everything up but he knew it wasn’t Stiles fault. Isaac saw what Derek saw: the Nogitsune picked Stiles because he was central to them and no one would ever be able to kill him.

“Why can you talk to Lydia, Stiles?” Scott asked sadly. He didn’t understand.

Stiles didn’t answer. He really didn’t want to have this conversation here in front of the pack. He didn’t want to have this conversation at all.

“Stiles, why can you talk to Lydia and not me?” Scott asked again pleadingly.

“Because she doesn’t blame me for Allison’s death. When you looked at me I could see you blamed me. You still do,” Stiles whispered the last part.

Stiles continued, “every time someone mentions her or Chris is in town I see the hurt and blame. Then you didn’t believe me about Theo because you didn’t trust me! I was losing you. I knew it and then Donovan happened. I killed him. Self-defense or not. I knew I would lose you. It was inevitable.” Stiles was crying by the time he was done speaking.

Scott hated this. He hated how far apart they have become from each other.

“Stiles. You are my brother no matter what. I’m sorry I don’t mean to blame you I know you didn’t kill her. I know that. It’s hard. And I should have trusted you. I still need to do better. Donovan was self-defense. I told you before I didn’t want blood to be on your hands and I meant it. Allison’s blood isn’t on your hands. Donovan would have killed you. I’m glad you are here. I love you, bro.” Scott said as he moved in front of Stiles making Stiles look at him.

Stiles gave him a watery smile and said, “God we are sappy. I love you too, bro,” Stiles said before he pulled Scott into a hug.

“About damn time,” Jackson said though he sounded less like an asshole and more like he really meant it.

“Jackson, I can say I have absolutely missed you and your jackassery,” Stiles mumbled from Scott's shoulder.

Everyone laughed as they watched the two best friends hug.

“Think we can go back to being best friends?” Scott asked Stiles as he pulled out of their very manly bro hug with tears.

“I think we already are,” Stiles replied. Stiles felt like a giant weight had been lifted off of him. He had been carrying this for so long. He needs Scott in his life, really there not just as his Alpha.  

Scott beamed at him.

They went back to asking and answering questions from everyone.

Stiles was having trouble keeping up with some of the questions. He was so so tired still and his emotional reunion of sorts with Scott made him even more tired.

“You okay?” Derek asked from his place plastered against Stiles side. The only reason Stiles didn’t have a panic attack was because Derek was there. He knew Derek would never let anything bad happen to him, that was one of the most comforting things Stiles could imagine. And the thing is that Derek has repeatedly backed that up. Derek had literally saved his life and Stiles knew he would always do that. They would always save each other.

Stiles felt Derek nose at his temple waiting for his answer.

Stiles thought about it about where they were with the pack all together and some reconnecting with Scott and Derek by his side.

“Yeah. Tired. Really Really tired but good.” Stiles whispered back to Derek as he snuggled down to lay his head on Derek's shoulder.

“Sleep we can talk about what the hell you were doing in the woods with magic alone, tomorrow,” Derek said. He loved having Stiles close to him.

“I was hoping you forgot about that,” Stiles grumbled.

“Not a chance.”

“So are you guys together because no one seems to be answering me,” Cory asked again. However, Stiles was already asleep and Derek just glared at the ceiling.

“Is it okay if we crash here?” Scott asked Derek.

“Of course,” Derek answered turning his attention to the Alpha. 

“We can talk more tomorrow guys. We all had a long day,” Scott said to the pack as the day’s events crashed down on him.

“Isaac, Jackson, Kira want to get out the pillows and blankets?” Derek asked as he carefully moved himself out from under Stiles and picked him up.

“Stiles is going to be alright, right?” Scott asked. Derek hadn’t noticed the Alpha followed him when he walked while carrying the still sleeping Stiles towards his room.

“He needs more rest for the exhaustion. I think you guys talking helped more than a good night sleep ever could, though,” Derek replied and watched as Scott seemed to relax some at the words.

“Good. Thank you,” Scott said as he started to walk back towards the rest of the pack before he made it down the hall Scott turned around, “Hey Derek.”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks for taking care of him.”

“Always.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm thinking one more chapter then it will be done (I think)  
> Sterek fluff on the way in the next chapter, though! 
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	7. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

Stiles woke up feeling a hell of a lot better than he did when he woke up the day before. Stiles looked to his left and saw Derek already awake and watching him.

“Creeper wolf,” Stiles said with a small smile.

Derek rolled his eyes at him. Stiles was getting used to this. He wanted to keep getting used to it, to waking up with Derek there beside him. They hadn’t done this that often. They were getting closer but neither felt rushed to be more. Derek always brought Stiles to his room if he fell asleep at Derek’s, which was pretty often. Stiles found he slept best at Derek’s. Sometimes he would fall asleep watching movies or while he was researching magic. Stiles felt safe there because of Derek.

“How do you feel?” Derek asked him his brow furrowing in worry. Derek woke up and immediately checked on Stiles who had still been sleeping. Derek noticed Stiles looked better, not as pale, but he also smelled less like exhaustion and pain. Derek hated seeing Stiles like this he only wanted to keep Stiles safe.

“Better,” Stiles said honestly. He did feel better not 100% but better.

Stiles watched as Derek’s worry faded from his face upon actually hearing what he probably already knew from Stiles himself.

“The others up yet?” Stiles asked Derek. Usually, Stiles could feel the pack better but because he used so much magic the day before the feeling is dull. He doesn’t want to use up what energy he gained back on that when he has a Werewolf lying beside him with super hearing.

“No,” Derek answered him before he pulled Stiles closer to him via the arm that was around Stiles' waist. Stiles only noticed it when Derek pulled him closer and he blushed. Derek pulled Stiles close to him and nosed along the junction between Stiles neck and shoulder making sure Stiles really was okay.

“I never thought I would have this, with you or anyone but especially you. And I don’t mean a Werewolf sniffing my neck,” Stiles said softly as he tilted his head to let Derek have better access. “I’m glad it’s you, though,” Stiles added. Stiles wasn’t entirely sure what he and Derek had but Stiles knew he liked it, he liked Derek.

Derek kept nosing at his neck until he pulled back and said, “Cory really wants to know if we are together or not.” Derek couldn’t stop thinking about it after Cory asked. Sure, Derek had thought about where he and Stiles were headed before but not this much. Having Stiles so hurt made Derek want to confirm what was going on, that he wasn’t making it all up.

“That sounds more like you are asking and covering it by using the fact that Cory asked us twice.” Stiles snorted. They had gotten to know each other so damn well. The whole becoming friends via e-mail sure lends to reading between the lines, literally, to sort out what someone is actually asking. Derek talks exactly how his e-mails read.

“Three,” Derek mumbled.

“What?”

“He asked three times,” Derek said the added, “You were still asleep the first time.”

“Huh, persistent,” Stiles said. 

“Stiles, what are we doing?” Derek asked. He had been wondering where their relationship was going. He was happy to just be with Stiles, to take it slow but Cory was persistent and asked a question Derek had thought about before. Then never really discussed it but they kept getting closer and closer. Stiles was okay with all the Werewolf tendencies, he didn’t freak out when Derek reassured himself that Stiles was real by pulling him in and sniffing his neck. Derek was comfortable with Stiles. He never thought this kid would be it for him. But from the e-mails where they talked about anything from the Hale fire to the Nogitsune to superheroes to the texts and calls to actually coming back to Beacon Hills, Stiles and Derek were there for each other. Derek felt like he could be himself with Stiles, less what the fire made him and more the person who endured it all and came out, not just surviving but living.

“What do you want to be doing, Derek?” Stiles asked with a raised eyebrow. Stiles was happy here with Derek in his apartment, in his bed, anywhere as long as Derek was there. Derek became Stiles’ rock or well anchor the more they talked through e-mail and then texting and calling each other. Then Derek came back to Beacon Hills, a place filled with pain, for _him_. Stiles felt safe for the first time in a really long time.

Derek didn’t answer him. Instead, Derek kissed him, light and slow.

Stiles slowly pulled away making it a short kiss. “I think we are on the exact same page,” Stiles said laughing before he kissed Derek with more force than the last kiss.

“So, Derek are we together or not?” Stiles asked while laughing at the scowl that appeared on Derek’s face because it was the fourth time Derek had been asked that question in two days.

“As long as you never ask me that question again, yes. Yes, we are together.” Derek said scowling the whole way through it. Stiles could tell he wasn’t actually upset, more playing up his irritation for Stiles methods.   

Stiles laughed at him reaching out to smooth Derek’s brow. “Sourwolf,” Stiles teased and he felt more than saw Derek relax his face from the scowl.

Derek pulled Stiles closer to him and went back to nuzzling Stiles' neck.

“How is this my life?” Stiles asked no one in particular. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

\--

Stiles and Derek only got out of bed because Stiles' stomach was roaring for food. When they walked down the hall and into the living room area they saw the pack completely sprawled out. Stiles made sure to take pictures.

“Guess we are cooking,” Stiles stated rather than asked.

“It might be noon but I’m thinking pancakes,” Stiles said when he entered the kitchen and started to get stuff out working in perfect sync with Derek.

The sounds from the kitchen didn’t so much wake the pack as the smell of food did.

“Do I smell pancakes?” Scott asked as he sat up from his spot on the floor.

“You’re the Werewolf,” Stiles replied instead of actually answering. It was a shame how many times people had to remind Scott to use his wolfy senses to figure stuff out. Stiles found it endearing.

Scott got up and walked into the kitchen area. He saw Stiles, looking better, not great but better, and Derek moving around like they cook together all the time.

“You guys do this often?” Scott asked curiously. He has missed so much.

“Nope,” Stiles said popping the ‘p’.

“So, you guys just work well together then?” Scott asked watching in fascination as the two before him cooked.

“Guess so,” Stiles said from where he was grabbing syrup and other things for the pancakes while Derek mixed more batter.

“I feel like I missed so much,” Scott said as he watched his best friend move around the kitchen.

“Well then you can be the first to know that Derek and I are actually together,” Stiles said as he looked at Scott.

“Really? That’s great!” Scott was happy for them because he could see how much they cared about each other. They also helped each other. Derek was less scary and more like the teenager, he was before his family died. Stiles seemed Scott didn’t know how to put, anchored was the best he could come up with. Stiles seemed anchored around Derek like Stiles was at peace.

“Yeah?” Stiles said more of a question than an answer. Stiles was worried about the others and their reaction. He knew he shouldn’t be but he was. Derek was important to him.

“Stiles you seem anchored like calmer now because of him,” Scott answered with his previous thoughts.

“Well he is the anchor for my magic so I guess that makes sense,” Stiles said thoughtfully as he got plates out for everyone.

“You need an anchor for your magic? Like a Werewolf does?” Scott asked confused. Scott knew a whole lot of nothing about magic.

“Magic doesn’t have to have an anchor but being Derek helped a lot with my training it just kind happened. Plus, my magic likes him,” Stiles shrugged. Stiles hadn’t shown his magic to anyone. Derek was the first. He talked about it with Lydia but never actually did anything in front of her. When Derek came back Stiles showed him his magic.  And Stiles could feel his magic pull towards Derek. So basically, his magic was a Derek Hale fan.

“Your magic likes him? Are there people your magic doesn’t like?” Mason asked from behind Scott. None of them noticed the rest of the pack waking up so the three in the kitchen turned to look at Mason who blushed and said, “I’m human and even I could smell food.”

Stiles started to laugh gesturing everyone into the kitchen before answering, “My magic hated Theo, it’s not a fan of Deaton either but that might be more my personal feelings rather than my magic’s either way, Deaton is a no go. Umm, it hated Peter.”

“Everyone hated Peter,” Lydia said then added, “Sorry Malia.” Malia only shrugged in response.     

“Peter is the one who turned Scott right?” Mason asked once again continuing the questions.

“Yep and he bit me jump starting the Banshee powers,” Lydia answered.

“He offered me the bite,” Stiles said thinking about how that would have affected his magic. He added that to the list of things to research later.

“Nice guy,” Cory mumbled as he grabbed a plate like everyone else and got some food.

“We did Molotov Cocktail his ass,” Stiles mused then looked at Derek to make sure he was okay with the conversation. Derek just shrugged he knew everyone hated his uncle and the man they knew was the not the same one he grew up knowing.

“This is weird, right? I mean just off-handedly mentioning killing people?” Kira said in amazement. Their lives were so weird. Even Stiles would have never imagined this would be his life.  

“We are the creatures that go bump in the night,” Isaac said then looked at Mason, “most of us that is.”

“I think I know more about what goes bump in the night than most of you, remember I read,” Mason said before he took a big bite of his food.

Everyone else followed his example and dug in.

“Stiles, are you going to tell us what you were doing in the woods?” Lydia asked from her seat as she watched the others clean up. They went on long enough dancing around the reason the pack was even all together.

“I think it would be better to show you,” Stiles sighed. He really didn’t want to tell everyone everything but he was going to have to tell them some. Plus, he needed to show them the clearing being he made it a safe space for the pack if they ever need. Stiles didn’t know how much he was going to tell them but he needed to some them the clearing. It was time his pack knew he could protect, not only himself but, them too.

Stiles looked up and found Derek already looking at him. Stiles determination hardened.

“I want to show you, all of you, my magic.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can handle writing angst better than fluff. I kept smiling at my screen like an idiot. I didn't mean for this to be so long so I made it a chapter breaking it from the next part. 
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	8. Protection

The pack piled into various vehicles and went to the Preserve. Before Stiles got out of the Jeep he took a few deep breaths. He knew when he told everyone what he did Derek was going to pissed as hell at him for not taking care of himself.

Stiles hopped out of the Jeep and the pack was looking at him expectantly. Showtime.

“Okay so umm,” Stiles began but he had no idea what to actually say, where to start. He had a bad feeling this was going to end up being a disaster, good morning or not.

“Any day now Stilinski,” Jackson huffed rolling his eyes at Stiles.

Stiles rubbed his palms together nervously. He could do this. He had to because they all were looking at him and he caused them to worry so much.

“How ‘bout you start with the reason you were out here,” Kira suggested quietly.

“I had a nightmare,” Stiles blurted before adding, “I was reading one of my magic books and I went to sleep around like two and I had a nightmare.” Stiles continued looking up at Scott.

“I had a nightmare about you. You were yelling at me that I killed Allison, that it was my fault.” Stiles said as he clenched his fists at the memory. There would always be a part of him that felt responsible for the Nogitsune, nothing would change that.

“Stiles-” Scott began to say but Stiles kept going.

“It’s not the first time I had it but after our fight over the magic it was too much,” Stiles turned so his back was facing the pack.

“I couldn’t fall back asleep, I never can after a nightmare,” Stiles huffed raising a hand through his hair. He hated this. The pack was dead silent behind him.

“I needed to not be at my house. I needed to do something. I wanted a distraction. I wanted--” Stiles rushed out before stopping then quietly saying, “I wanted to stop feeling just for a little while.”

That got the pack to say something he heard his name, some whines, and a growl from behind him. He knew Derek’s growl too damn well.

“So I came here. I avoided going to anyone because I didn’t want to bother them I was like three or four in the morning,” Stiles said more for Derek than anyone dropping his head to look at the ground but not turning to look at him. Stiles couldn’t face them.

“I came out here and ran the path to the clearing Derek and I train in,” Stiles, without turning around, started to walk the path towards the clearing.

“How could you see?” Mason asked as they walked the path after Stiles was quiet for a little while. Stiles was completely stuck in his head. He felt like he was letting the pack down by telling all of this. He usually keeps all this stuff to himself, it’s his way of protecting them. Then Derek came into his life again and suddenly he’s spewing all his inner thoughts and fears not only to Derek but now the whole pack. He had a new way of protecting them now though so Stiles started to think that maybe he didn’t have to hide absolutely everything anymore.

“Oh this,” Stiles said as he called up one of the balls of light. “This is how I lit the clearing as well a bunch of these, they are like mini suns,” Stiles added. Stiles was proud of his magic and he was proud to show it off now.

“Cool,” Mason said smiling. Magic was so cool.

“So, I lit the clearing and started training. I practiced with Mountain Ash first. I couldn’t make a circle without closing my eyes and picturing it before. So, I worked on that because hello closing your eyes in the middle of a battle is never good. I got that down, now. It took a while but I can just do it now. I have no idea how long I was doing that.” Stiles babbled. His nerves were coming back. It’s like he could feel Derek’s scowl.

“I needed a Mountain Ash circle for a spell I read before I went to sleep that night,” Stiles added. They were almost to the clearing now and he wanted to tell them about the spell before they got there.

“When I came, you were doing something to the trees?” Scott asked from behind Stiles.

“Right, that was a part of the spell. I needed anchors to hold it. Those trees-- I grew those trees while training with Derek,” Stiles choked out Derek’s name. He knew Derek was going to be pissed Stiles was out here doing magic alone. He promised Derek he would be safe. He broke that promise.

“I scorched the trees with the runes to hold the spell. Then I scorched the same symbols into the center of the clearing,” Stiles head Lydia breath in quickly. She had figured out what he did.

“Lydia, you figured it out,” Stiles declared. Stiles wasn’t the least bit surprised Lydia figured it out she read a lot of the same books he did and she was just damn smart.

“You have that much power? If you hadn’t done the training with the Mountain Ash before you wouldn’t have passed out, would you?” Lydia demanded. She knew what he did she had read some of the same books he did because they talked about magic being she could understand some of the theory behind it. She was happy to help him with it. She didn’t realize how much power he actually had.

“Yeah. And I would have been fine doing the spell only. It was the training beforehand that did me in,” Stiles defended his actions. He knew in his bones that he could do the spell without passing out so long as he had a full tank before he did it. He just had to practice the Mountain Ash first because he’s a masochist.

“Stiles--” Lydia started but stopped.

“Are you going to explain what the spell is anytime soon?” Liam groused from the back of the pack. They were almost to the clearing.

“I made a safe space.” Stiles blurted out before clarifying, “the spell is a protection spell. It takes a space and creates kind of a bubble around it. Only the people the caster wants in the bubble can get in let alone find it. So, I made a protected place for the pack to train, to heal, to go if we need. The space, well I can change it to do anything I want. So It can just keep people out, or it can be seen by everyone or just a few. It all comes down to what I want from it.”

“Stiles that’s amazing,” Scott complimented. Scott couldn’t believe what an asset this could be for the pack. A safe space. Could Stiles make more?

As if reading his mind Stiles added, “Eventually I think I can modify the spell so all of Beacon Hills is protected the way the clearing is. That’s why I was researching this stuff in the first place.”

“So, nothing could get in here without you knowing it?” Scott asked completely shocked.

“There are a few different ways to set it up and I can-”

“Enough,” Derek snarled. Derek was done with this. If warding a clearing hurt Stiles so much with training before or not what the hell would warding all of Beacon Hills do to him?

“Derek-” Stiles started.

“No!” Derek snarled looking as if Stiles just stabbed his sister. “You can’t do that!”

“Like hell, I can’t! You do not get to tell me what I can and cannot do with my magic! That’s what got us into this entire mess in the first place! You didn’t let me explain--”

“I don’t care! I won’t watch you kill yourself to protect us!” Derek was done he refused to watch Stiles die.

“Derek,” Stiles began but he had no idea what to say. He was torn between being pissed as hell at Derek for telling him what to do with _his_ magic but he also understood Derek’s fears of losing him. Derek lost so many people already.

“No,” Derek snarled, eyes glowing.

“Let me show you,” Stiles said as he watched Derek then whispered, “please.”

Derek didn’t move one way or the other. The pack was watching them, eyes darting back and forth between the two.

“This place. This clearing is important to me. Because of you,” Stiles admitted still looking at Derek. “I—the pack is safe here. I can keep you guys safe even just here for right now.” Stiles continued as he turned to face the clearing. In the spell, there was a force field like quality, a bubble. It would repel others but the pack wouldn’t be repelled. The pack could see a shimmery force field like thing surrounding the clearing.

“What are we supposed to do?” Liam asked. Derek, Scott, Lydia, Malia, Isaac, Jackson, and Kira had walked up to the shimmery wall ready to step through when Stiles did. Mason stepped up to it out of sheer fascination. Liam, Hayden, and Cory were not blindly trusting Stiles even though everyone else did. They were still learning.

“Walk through of course,” Stiles mused as he simply stepped through the wall like it was nothing. The others followed without hesitation. Liam, Hayden, and Cory watched them step through then disappear. From the outside they couldn’t be seen, their heart beats couldn’t be heard, and their scents were gone. The three looked at each other with wide eyes.

“Would you guys just come on,” Mason’s head popped out of the wall in front of them. Mason smiled at them before he reached forward grabbing Liam’s hand and pulled him forward into the wall. Hayden and Cory followed.

When they came in everyone was standing in the clearing looking around except Stiles who was looking at them.

“So could you guys see us? Or hear or anything?” Stiles asked looking excited. Stiles wanted to know if his spell worked, really worked.

“It was like you were gone,” Hayden replied amazed.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the three.

“You really couldn’t tell we were here?” Scott asked.

“Nope you guys were completely gone,” Liam answered his Alpha.

“Stiles this is amazing,” Scott said looking over at his best friend.

“Yeah?” Stiles asked smiled. Stiles finally felt like he did something. Something to benefit the pack.

“Yeah. And you said eventually you could cover the whole town?” Lydia asked.

“Eventually. Some things have to come together. Like a powerful moon. Um the ley lines, I need an anchor line too. Plus, the pack,” Stiles answered her. He refused to look at Derek who Stiles could feel staring at him. There were a lot of things to be planned before Stiles could do the wards around all of Beacon Hills.

“Why do you need us if you’re just going to do it on your own,” Derek snarled. He was amazed by Stiles once again. He never wanted Stiles to be weakened like he was before. How could Stiles do this covering all of Beacon Hills and survive?

Derek’s last question must have been obvious to Stiles because he answered, “With help. With my pack. I can ward this territory but never alone.”

“Stiles--” Derek started but was interrupted by Stiles.

“I know you don’t want to lose me. I’m sorry I didn’t let anyone help me the other night. But I would never and could never protect this territory on my own.” The spell Stiles did on the clearing could be done on a large scale but Stiles was designing his own protection for their territory that included the pack. Stiles was a magic user apart of a wolf pack.

“You said there were ‘things’ you needed to do the spell?” Derek asked after taking in Stiles answer. He was only slightly relieved.

Stiles realized he was going to have to literally spell it out for Derek to understand Stiles had no plans for protecting Beacon Hills on his own. Stiles looked directly at Derek and clarified, “Derek, I would never place a protective ward over the entirety of Beacon Hills without my pack being a direct part of it.”

Derek watched Stiles before murmuring, “Promise?”

“I promise,” Stiles smiled. Once Stiles confirmed, Derek walked up to Stiles and stopped in front of him. But before he could say anything Stiles started to speak blabbing on before his brain caught up, “I know why you got mad, dude. I’m not leaving you. I love you. Not a fan of you telling me how to use my magic but I get it--”

“Don’t call me du—you just said--” What Stiles said caught up with Derek slowly because frankly when Stiles blabs he can talk really fast and it can be hard to keep up. _Stiles love him_.

Stiles had not meant for that to come out. He hadn’t even said it before hell he didn’t even really think it, but now that he had said it he realized that he did love Derek. Probably had for a long time but having Derek there in front of him worrying about him and being there for him was a lot different than an e-mail. Stiles knew that doing this magic stuff wouldn’t be half as fun and good without Derek with him.

“Yeah,” Stiles blushed as he watched Derek’s face break into a small smile before he full on beamed directly at Stiles.

“Derek can smile?” Liam whispered then added louder, “did you know Derek could smile?”

“No, but apparently, Stiles did,” Mason whispered back as if the rest of the pack couldn’t hear them.

While they were talking Derek grabbed Stiles hand and pulled him out of the clearing and through the wards.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to say it in front--” Stiles tried to say. He could have realized and said he loved Derek at a better time.

“Do you regret saying it?” Derek asked worriedly. He thought Stiles was being honest when he blurted it out.

“Not at all. Wish I didn’t embarrass myself, though,” Stiles answered sheepishly as he looked at Derek. He never wanted to take it back but now everyone knows how much he needs Derek.

“You didn’t--”

“The pack--”

“Stiles, I love you too. I trust you. I’m sorry I tried to tell you what to do with your magic. I only want you safe. I love you--” before Derek could say anything more Stiles kissed him.

“Your magic—Stiles this is great and I wish I could have been here when you did it,” Stiles raised his eyebrow at Derek who added, “for multiple reasons.”

Stiles laughed at him. Stiles knew those multiple reasons perfectly.

“We should slow down all of this, though. We technically have only been official for like five minutes,” Stiles reminded not only Derek but himself. He did love Derek and trust him but hello, they haven’t even gone out on a date. Stiles wanted some dating that didn’t involve a screen and reading words.

Derek nodded looking slightly put out but understanding, “will you let me help you with your ward for the territory?”

“We can talk about it over dinner?” Stiles smiled while wiggling his eyebrows at Derek.

Derek shook his head fondly at Stiles and replied, “sure.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holiday's everyone! 
> 
> There will be an epilogue! 
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr at [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


	9. Epilogue

“Come, one guys we have one hour and twenty-four minutes to get everything in place,” Stiles blabbed while rushing around the location the pack figured out to be the exact center of the territory. Tonight, was a full moon and they were getting ready to ward the hell out of their territory finally bringing peace, hopefully. 

“Stiles you have been planning this for like three months. We know what to do. We got this,” Scott sighed as he watched his best friend freak over the minutest of details. The pack all had a role in the warding just like Stiles said. Scott, as the Alpha, was present and carved the pack symbol into the tree that Stiles grew as the centerpiece for the ward. It connected to the other anchors, which were also trees, located on the ley lines. Stiles had thought everything out. Each of the pack members helped with a certain number of trees connecting the pack members to it. Stiles planned everything.

“Stiles,” Derek called as he fondly watched the hyperactive Emissary rush around. Scott, after receiving an in-depth explanation of a magic user’s role in the pack as Emissary, asked Stiles to officially be the McCall pack Emissary. Derek knew Stiles still had trouble realizing his place in the pack even though he had an official role more so than anyone but Scott. Derek reminded Stiles he was Emissary often but when the time came to protecting the pack or they simply were not listening while Stiles was planning the wards Stiles would assume his role without even knowing it. He would simply do it. Derek never failed to tell Stiles about it later just to see him blush and smile at him.

“Yeah,” Stiles' head snapped to Derek immediately. They had been dating the entire time and worked on the wards together along with the pack. They even told the Sheriff everything. The pack still had to deal with some creatures in the last few months being things were still being called to Beacon Hills. To change that was near impossible so instead the pack agreed to protect Beacons Hills. They were going to make it a sanctuary for creatures. Of course, they had to gain access to the territory through the pack. The pack wanted peace in Beacon Hills.

“You can do this,” Derek stated simply and truthfully. He had gone over the plan a hell of a lot of times with Stiles. They worked in every possible situation. The whole pack helped and added things, filled loopholes in previous spells, and decided how they wanted to do the wards.

“Right,” Stiles relaxed some but not completely because hello a lot was riding on this. Stiles knew he would be absolutely lost without Derek there as his rock, his anchor. Derek let Stiles ramble on as much as he needed to get the thoughts out and to work through magical theory. Stiles was glad to have Derek with him through it all.

“Right. So. Um,” Stiles stammered. He was so nervous he won’t be able to do this. They had planned that each of them would stand on the ley line that their first tree was placed on. Those were the strongest ley lines. So, the pack would stand around the pack symbol, a mix of Scott’s and Derek’s as well as a few other runes each of the pack picked out, scorched and clawed into the earth at the center point of the territory by the pack. They already carved the symbol into the Nemeton which was the counter balance. They were using the pull of the Nemeton and the ley lines going to it, to fuel the wards continually. That way they didn’t have to do this again. So, they had the anchor line around the territory where the ward would reach out to but the ward would be held by the Nemeton’s natural power and the ley lines. The way the pack made it there’s was by being involved in the process. They put up the trees with Stiles and carved the symbol they chose into it connecting them and the rest of the pack to it. This way there was no mistake whom the land belonged to, the pack would know if anyone tried to enter the territory, and the pack gained protection as well. To Stiles, the whole thing gave him a headache, mostly because of how many times he went over it making sure everything was okay.

“Stilinski,” Jackson barked. The whole pack worked together on this. They actually got closer working on the wards but somethings never change. Jackson and Stiles got along to a point. It was basically like family.

“Right, okay. Everyone stand by your chosen symbol.” Stiles directed once they got to the center of the territory. The warding was planned that at the height of the moon the ritual would end. Each pack member would stand by their symbol thinking of why they chose it. Stiles pulling the ley lines would connect each of the members to the ley line the symbol was carved over, protecting them. The power for the ward would get through the pack. Scott and Stiles would be in the middle of the circle because Scott's pack symbol connected all the others. When the pack was connected to the land Stiles would start speaking the vast amount of dead languages and not so dead languages he had to learn and picturing the wards he wanted. Technically, he wasn’t using much of his own magic just his magical ability because he would be siphoning off the land as a conductor almost.

“Der that means it’s time to shift, same for all the Weres and Kira,” Stiles reminded the pack. Derek shrugged at Stiles as he undressed completely, as did Malia before they shifted into wolf and coyote respectfully. The beta’s all shifted as well. Kira had her fox surrounding her. It came down to Scott and Stiles. Stiles was thankful he didn’t grow hair and lose his eyebrows like the wolves all his eyes did were glow. Stiles worked with Scott over the past few months on the Alpha form, with the help of Derek of course. It took a while but Scott got there.

“You sure,” Scott asked looking at Stiles. Scott never thought he would ever take Alpha form, never wanted to but here he was shifting when he saw his Emissary, his best friend, his brother nod his head.

With everyone in form one way or another, it was time to begin.

Stiles looked up making sure the moon was at the right place then started to chant over and over in various languages he had Lydia to thank for. The whole territory went still with the pull of magic. Stiles wondered if even the humans could feel it. There was a calm like before a storm but not in a bad way. Stiles was disrupting the usual flow of magic through the territory. The magic built up as he pulled it and directed it towards the center of the land where the pack was located. To Stiles, it felt like the ground was rolling with it the more magic he directed and held in their location. He would have to ask the pack later what it felt like to them.  

One by one starting with Scott, Stiles started connecting them to the ley lines. The magic was pulled to them just below the surface then Stiles would connect the pack to the line letting the magic flow through the pack on at a time. When each of the pack members was connected to the ley line their symbol was on, Stiles opened the magic to the pack bonds. The pack bonds would transfer each of the major ley lines magic channeled through the chosen symbol by the packing member and distribute the magic and the meaning evenly through the territory.

So basically, the pack put themselves within the flow of the ley line as conductors of magic. The ley lines would flow through them now. It also happens to make them stronger, that’s just a nice side effect. No one was going to want to fuck with Beacon Hills again.

Stiles hadn’t realized how much the spell would take even with the pack and the ley lines helping him. The rush of power was a lot to handle, he could see it on all the pack. Stiles kept chanting as the moon drew to its highest and most powerful point. They made sure it was on a full moon.

Finally, as the moon’s power passed its’ height and Stiles imagined the wards holding, Stiles felt the wards snap into place around the pack and the territory. As soon as the wards were basically vacuum sealed into place, Scott and the rest of the beta’s let out a great howl all at once. At the same time, Lydia screamed. The others simply yelled along with their pack, cheering.

Stiles felt his power draw back, eyes no longer glowing, as he collapsed to the ground sitting in the circle with Scott still beside him. The weight of the spell took a lot but it worked. Stiles never felt anything like it. His power basically increased as it was connected to the land.

To his right where Stiles knew Derek has he heard a whine. Stiles looked over and nodded to Derek who immediately ran, still on four legs to his side. Everyone else sat on the ground in various spots all close to one another.

“I’m alright, just need to get used to this feeling,” Stiles reassured Derek. Stiles wasn’t feeling weak. It was actually the opposite. Stiles felt more power than he ever had and needed a breather. The spell worked.

“It worked,” Lydia affirmed as she looked around at the pack.

“Why can’t I shift back?” Liam whined. Everyone was still in their various forms.

“Give it a little to get used to the power,” Stiles responded feeling their worry through the pack bonds which he could feel a heck of a lot stronger now than he could before.

Everyone was quiet for a little while just getting used to the feel. Before slowly everyone started to shift back except for Derek.

“Dude stop worrying. I’m fine,” Stiles chuckled from his spot beside Derek. Stiles reached up and started playing with Derek’s ears.

“If you don’t stop worrying you’re gonna be stuck like this and then there will be actual wolves in California, well one at least,” Stiles chuckled as he remembered running from a wolf in the woods. It seemed like forever ago that Derek came back but Stiles was damn glad he did.

Slowly Derek shifted out of the full shift.

“See now I can do this,” Stiles chirped before kissing Derek leaving his hand in Derek's hair. The rest of the pack groaned while Isaac grabbed a blanket for Derek. The pack learned to be prepared for nudity. Isaac threw it at Derek, who broke the kiss and nodded at Isaac.

“There are no actual wolves in California Stiles,” Lydia nagged.

“Derek can full shift into a giant wolf making him an actual wolf in California,” Stiles argued. His life was so weird. They were arguing over Werewolves shifting fully into wolves after a completing a spell.

“He’s not an actual wolf. He still has his human capacity to think as a wolf which is unlike any other wolf,” Lydia asserted. They were smiling at each other. It’s to the point where they argue for fun.

“I disagree. He is an actual wolf in form. Someone looking at him would automatically think wolf, not wolf with the human capacity for thought,” Stiles finalized. He knew this because hello that was his exact reaction upon seeing what he thought was a wolf in the Preserve, he didn’t even think it was Derek. He just saw a wolf and ran.

“But we know better than that seeing as Derek is now a human again,” Lydia replied grinning.  

“You guys are ridiculous,” Malia interrupted with a scrunched nose. She was not a fan of their discussions. With the magic planning, there had been a lot of detailed discussions about languages and symbols. It was not for everyone.

“Not ridiculous. Awesome,” Mason laughed. Their lives seemed surreal.

“So, it worked,” Scott asked looking at his Emissary.

“It worked. Beacon Hills in finally protected once and for all,” Stiles announced with a grin. Scott grinned back.

They did it.    

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone, for sticking with me on this! 
> 
> Visit me on Tumblr [fireflystiles](http://fireflystiles.tumblr.com)


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